Spindle-support for spinning and like machines.



A. A. LOVEJOY. SPINDLE SUPPORT FOR SPINNING AND LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1910- Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

-INVENT R OMZAMZ ww y "ilhli FAitlFlblT QFFlQE,

ALFRED ADELBERT LOVEJOY, F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNUR OF ONE-FOURTH TO GHANNING- WHITAKER, 0F 'IYIIGEBORG, MASSACHUSETTS; HARRIET BANCROFJ. WHITAKER A311) CATHARINE WHITAKER LJQIiIB-ERT, BOTH QF TYNG-SBGRO, MASSA- CHUSETTS, AND HAVEN Gr. HILL, OF LOVE/ELL, 'MASSACEUSETTS, EXECUTORS 0F SAID CHANNING VJEITAKER, DECEASED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. in, 1915.

Application filed Apri125, 1919. Serial No. 557,412.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED ADELBERT Lovn- JOY, of Lowell, in the county o1 Middlesex and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spindle-Supports for Spinning and like Machines, of which the following description and claims, with the accompanying drawing, is a specification.

My invention has relation to spindles and bearings of the class having, in combination with a rotating spindle and a support, a bolster and a step-block applied to the said support, with the said bolster lat erally movable to permit the spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load.

More particularly, the invention has relation to spindles and bearings of the general class just mentioned in which the spin dle has a tapering pintle and the bolster has a bearing tapered to fit the pintle.

In spindles and bearings of the described general class, it has been and is common to form the step of a single piece of hardened steel having a fiat top. In constructions of the character heretofore in use the rapidly rotating pintle invariably forms by wear a pit in the upper part of the step. As the bottom of the pit is lowered by the wear the entire spindle is lowered relatively to the bearing. If the spindle has a tapered pintle accurately adjusted at the outset in a bolster of corresponding taper, as is common, the lowering of the step-end of the pintle into the pit disturbs the adjustment of the pintle relatively to the bearing, and the tapering pintle tightens in its tapering bearing and the circumferential wearing of both is accelerated.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improved spindle-bearing construction which automatically shall so take care of the wear as to'render the same completely negligible, and in the case of a tapered pintle and hearing so diminish the mal-adiustment or lowering of the pintle relative to the bearing in consequence of the wear as to render the same microscopic in its effects and incapable of making any practical difference in the fit of the spindle within the bolster.

In accordance with my invention .1 combine with a spinning spindle, or the like, a laterally movable bolster, and a support, a revoluble step-piece which occupies a socket within which it is closely confined but with capacity to turn or revolve in consequence oi the rotation of the end of the spindlepmtle in contact therewith, the gyratory travel of the pintle as the spindle seeks its proper axis of rotation operating to continually shift the place of bearing contact so as to distribute the wear about the surface of the step-piece.

In the preferred form of embodiment of my invention, the step-piece is in the form of a ball having a superficial area which is many times that of the point of actual bearing-contact. This ball is revoluble universally, i. e. in all directions, in its confinmg socket, and as the wandering of the pintle-end continually changes the position of such end the ball is continually changing the direction in which it rotates, or more correctly the axis about which it rotates, so that the diameter coinciding with the axis of rotation changes from instant to lnstant.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the preferred form of the invention. Figs. 2, 3, and t are enlarged sectional elevations of modified details. Fig. 5 shows a part of Fig. 1 on a greatly enlarged scale. Figs. 6 and 7 show modified details in greatly enlarged sectional elevation. Fig. 8 is a greatly enlarged View of part of Fig. l and a tool 14: for making the lip 12.

In the illustrated embodiment of the preferred form of my invention, the rotatable spindle 4i, the support or bolster-case 2, and the bolster 3, are of usual construction. The step-block 7 and the bolster are laterally movable with relation to each other as in any usual construction, and permit the rotating spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load in well-known manner. ilhe step-piece or ball 11 is intermediate the spindle and the step-block. The block has an axial socket 8 which closely confines the ball circumferentially and thereby definitely controls its position, and an integral lip 12 at the mouth of the socket for retaining the ball. The lower-end bearing-surface of the spindle is a plane perpendicular to the geometrical axis of the spindle, and is in thrustengagement with the ball. As the spindle .accommodates itself to its load, the bearingsurface wanders relatively to the ball and careens or tilts and varies the direction of the axis of the revolution of the ball that results from such engagement. Experience has proven: that all parts of the superficial area of the ball are substantially equally worn; and, that during years of continuous experimental use the bearing-surface of the spindle-end is not materially lowered because of the reduction by wear of the diameter of the ball.

"In the figures, I have represented my in vention as it might be applied in the invention of the United States patent to W. F.

and G. A. Draper, No. 378,877, March 6th,

1888. I form a cup for the reception of a rotatable step-piece in either the upper part of the step or the lower part of the pintle, place a step-piece within the said cup which fits closely but loosely and which can rotate freely therein, and form a lip or bur in the mouth of the said cup which will prevent the said step-piece from gravitating out of the said cup when the pintle and the stepblock are so separated that both do not touch the said step-piece and the cup is partially or wholly inverted. Preferably, I form the cup in the upper part of the stepblook, and I have so represented it in all of the figures, excepting Fig. 3. The spindle, the step-piece and the step-block are all supporters of the weight of the yarn-carrier and its load. It would be within my invention to form the cup in the lower part of the pintle, and I have represented such a cup, thus located, in Figs. 3 and 4. The steppiece may have any one of a number of shapes and still be within my invention.

I prefer to use a hardened-steel ball having the largest practicable superficialarea, and I have represented it as such in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5. It is represented as cylindrical in Figs. 3 and 6, but as having a very flat cone for a base. In Fig. 7 its general form is that of a cylinder having a sharper cone asa base, but a considerable part of the length ofthe cylinder is of reduced diameter. In the size of spindle and hearing which is in most common use, I prefer to use a hardened-steel ball of about 1% inch diameter. Such balls are now in the market, with the different diameters ofa given ball varying but very slightly from one another. They are soldat a small price and are admirably adapted for use as such step-pieces.

In Figs. 1, 5, and 8, I have represented the preferred form of cup. 'Its vertical sidewallissubstantially a hollow-cylinder. The central part of its bottom, where the ball Imight touch it,.15,.' is a smallsubstantially horizontal plane and furnishes a vertical support for the step-piece. The part of the 7 bottom which the step-piece cannot touch, 17, is preferably lower than the part 15 which the step-piece can touch. Above this preferably lower part of the bottom is the reservoir 9 which will normally be filled with oil, but any grit or dirt which may be in the cup can fall into it. To promote a free replacement of the lubricant in the cup, the oil-hole 10 leads, preferably, down and out from the oil reservoir 9 into the oil reservoir l6'without the step, and heavy grit in the cup will naturally escape therefrom through the oil-hole 10. The step-block and the spindle are of steel, and, while the steel is still soft,'the tool which preferably is like let is'pressed, struck, or forced into the mouth of the cut forming the lip or bur 12.

The lip or bur 12 may extend inwardly all around the mouthof the cup, or, it may be limited to a pin-point at a single radius of the mouth. The step-piece 11 is preferably only a 'few one-thousandths ofan inch less in diameter than the cup 8, and theinternal diameter of the bur 12, when the bur extends all around the mouthof the cup, is preferably only a few one-thousandths of an inch less than the diameter of the step-piece. After the steel cup has been hardened, the step-piece is placed as nearly in position as can be done without force. A light blow from a hammer, or, light pressure otherwise applied to the step-piece will temporarily so expand the mouth of the cup at the bur as to allow the step-piece to slip into the cup. The contraction of'the mouth at the bur 12 which will immediately follow the passing of the step-piece into the cup, will prevent the step-piece from gravitating'out of the cup whenthe step and the pintle are far apart and the cup is inverted.

In Figs. 1 and 5, the bottom of the socket 8 is represented as having a part that is lower than that which the ball touches. In the modification of Fig. 2, the bottom of the socket 8 is a plane. In the modification of Fig. 3, the plane bearing-surface of the stepblock 7, wanders relatively to the lower-end of the step-piece 11 and by enlarging the area of wear of the step-block 7 diminishes the depth of the pit which can be worn therein in a given time. In the modification of Fig. at, the ball is located in a socket in the spindle and an additional step-piece, represented as cylindrical, is shown in a socket in the step-block. Fig.6 is an enlargement of a portion of'Fig. 4: and shows the recess 13 in the step-piece for thexlip 12.

Fig. 7 shows a modification 'of the cylindrical form of step-piece in its socket. I The areas of contact of the step-piece and socket are reduced and the groove 13 of Figs. {l and 6is not used.

In "the preferred form of my invention the ax s Of the spindle passes or very nearly passes, that is to say substantially passes,

.is balanced. Then in operation under the influence of an unbalanced spindle load, the

slight shifting of position or direction of the spindle-axis permitted by the looseness of fit of the bolster in the case, and the greater shifting of direction ofthe axis of the step-block permitted by the usual looseness of fit between the step-block and the case and the usual looseness of the engagement of the bolster and step-block, cause the directions of the axes of the spindle and step-block respectively to deviate, so that the power operating through the frictional contact of the pintle with the ball automatically and continuously turns the ball slightly around its own center, shifts slightly the direction of any diameter of the ball, and shifts slightly the portions of the superficial area of the ball which wear.

I claim:

1. In a spindle-bearing for spinning and the like machines, the combination with a spindle having a tapering pintle, a support, and a bolster and a step-block applied to the said support, said bolster having a tapering bearing and being laterally movable with relation to the support and step-block to permit the rotating spindle to conform its axis of rotation to an unbalanced load, of a step-piece intermediate the spindle and stepblock, one of the latter parts having an axial pocket which closely confines the step-piece and definitely controls its position while permitting it to revolve therein, and the other of such parts having a bearing surface in thrust-engagement with said step-piece, the wandering of the pintle as the spindle accommodates itself to its load varying the relation of the axis of the step-piece and the cooperating bearing surface with respect to each other.

2. In a spindle-bearing for spinning and the like machines, in combination, a bolstercase, a spindle having a tapering pintle, a step-block, one of the said parts having a cavity for a rotatable step-piece, a step-piece closely fitted in the said cavity and rotatable therein, and having its center substantially in the line of the pintle-axis when the spindle carries a balanced load, and a bolster laterally movable with respect to the bolstercase and step-block and thereby permitting the spindle to accommodate itself in rotating to an unbalanced load.

3. In combination: a rotatable spindle; a support; a bolster and a step-block applied to said support, laterally movable with relation to each other, and permitting the rotating spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load: and, a reioluble step-piece intermediate the spindle and step-block, one of the latter parts having an axial socket which closely fits and confines the said steppiece circumferentially and thereby definitely controls its position, and the other of such parts having a bearing-surface in thrust-engagement with said step-piece, the wandering of the bearing-surface as the spindle accommodates itself to its load varying the relation of the axes of the step-piece and bearing-surface with respect to each other.

4. In combination: a rotatable spindle; a

, support; a bolster and step-block applied to said support, laterally movable with relation to each other, and permitting the rotating spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load; and, a revoluble step-piece intermediate the spindle and step-block, one of the latter parts having an axial socket which closely confines the said step-piece circumferentially and thereby definitely controls its position, and the other of said parts having a bearing-surface in thrust-engagement with said step-piece, the wandering of the bearing-surface as the spindle accommo dates itself to its load producing variation in the direction of the axis of the revolution of the step-piece resulting from such engagement.

5. In combination: a rotatable spindle; a support; a bolster and a step-block applied to said support, laterally movable with relation to each other, and permitting the rotating spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load; and, a ball intermediate the spindle and step-block, one of the latter parts having an axial socket which closely confines the said ball circumferentially and thereby definitely controls its position, and the other of said parts having a bearingsurface in thrust-engagement with said ball, the wandering of the bearing-surface as the spindle accommodates itself to its load producing variation in the direction of the axis of the revolution of the ball resulting from such engagement.

6. In combination: arotatable spindle; a support; a bolster and a step-block applied to said support, laterally movable with relation to each other, and permitting the rotating spindle to accommodate itself to an unbalanced load; and, a ball intermediate the spindle and step block, one of the latter parts having an axial socket which closely confines the ball circumferentially and thereby definitely controls its position, the part having the socket having a retaining lip at the sockets mouth, and the other of said parts having a bearing-surface in thrustengagement with said ball, the wandering of the bearing-surface as the spindle accommodates itself to its load producing variation in the direction of the axis of the revolution of the ball resulting from such engagement.

7. In combination: a rotatable spindle; a support; a bolster and a step-block laterally movable with relation to each other, and

permitting the rotating spindle t0 accomlnomatically varying the areas of frictional-endate itself tel an unbalaneedload; and," a gagement of the ball. ball intermediate the spindle and step-block,' In testimonywhereof, I afiix my signature the step-block having a socket for' the ball, in the presence of two Witnesses.

and the spindle-end having a bearing-sun ALFRED ADELBERT LOVEJOY. face in thrust-engagement with the ball, the Witnesses:

Wandering of the bearing-surface as the CHANNING W ITAKER,

spindle accommodates itself to its lead auto- IRVING DQKIM ALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addt ess ing the Cemmissioner of Patents, Wqshingtomfi. 0. 

